Solange Knowles, the acclaimed R&B singer, has voiced her outrage over the treatment of Black women in the United States following the tragic death of Sonya Massey.
Sonya Massey’s killing
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, was killed by an Illinois sheriff’s deputy at her home on July 6 in Springlfield, Illinois. Massey, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, had called the police, fearing an attempted break-in.
Bodycam footage released earlier this week revealed the harrowing details of the incident, igniting widespread outrage and calls for accountability.
The video showed two white sheriff’s deputies arriving at Massey’s home and searching for potential threats. During the encounter, one of the deputies noticed a pot of boiling water on the stove and asked Massey to remove it for safety reasons.
As Massey complied, she made a joking remark, which led to an escalation in the situation. The deputy responded aggressively, threatening her life before eventually shooting her in the face.
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Massey was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. The officer who fired the fatal shot, Sean Grayson, has since been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He remains in custody without bond, awaiting trial.
Solange Knowles calls for justice for Massey
On Tuesday, July 23, Solange used her platform on X (formerly known as Twitter) to demand change and justice for Massey.
